Nikon and Microsoft sign patent deal over Android-based camera

Nikon has signed a licensing deal with Microsoft to cover the use of patented technologies in its Android-based cameras. The deal is the latest instance of Microsoft pursuing makers of Android devices, claiming patent infringement. Despite free access being one of the founding ideas of Google's Android operating system, Microsoft has been increasingly successful in convincing manufacturers of Android devices that they need to strike licensing deals for some of its technologies.

Microsoft and Nikon Sign Android Patent Agreement

Agreement covers certain Nikon cameras running the Android platform.

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 21, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. and Nikon Corporation have signed a patent licensing agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for certain Nikon cameras running the Android platform. While the contents of the agreement will not be disclosed, Microsoft will receive royalties from Nikon.

“Microsoft and Nikon have a long history of collaboration, and this agreement further demonstrates the value that both companies place on responsible IP licensing,” said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing at Microsoft. “Microsoft is proud to align with a leader in the digital camera industry to license Android technology for the benefit of Nikon’s customers.”

Microsoft’s Commitment to Licensing Intellectual PropertyThe patent agreement is another example of the important role intellectual property (IP) plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has entered into more than 1,100 licensing agreements and continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open access to Microsoft’s significant R&D investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio. Microsoft’s specific patent licensing program for Android device makers has resulted in signed license agreements with numerous companies including Samsung, LG, HTC, Acer and Barnes & Noble.

More information about Microsoft’s licensing programs is available at http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing.

Comments

This is worrying. Now it is Microsoft. And I am sure there will be more companies who would try to make profit just by buying licenses and twisting legislation of the spirit of what is intended by such legislation. I don't think this is in the consumers interest, if people can abuse patent laws to an unreasonable degree, and damage free competition, innovation, progress and proper access to technology, not to mention the silly costs of products due to the huge waste. in legal wranglings that enrich only devious operators and parasites like lawyers. Just like Apple's legal action against Samsung and Rambus' against other RAM makers, these are leading us to some dangerous territory.

This actually sounds more like 'Protection Money' roart that the Mafia use, only a more 'legal' threat that if they find something they can sue for they will, regardless of how minor it is - and I'm sure they would go digging if Nikon refused.

Sheesh. A couple of days ago I thought the D7100 looked the most boring of incremental updates ever (apart from the sensor, it's lacking updates I want and the new AF-system doesn't affect me). Now this.

I've had two Nikon dSLRs in my time; it seems they're doing their best to ensure there won't be a third.

Until someone makes a stand against Microsoft, this will keep going on and Microsoft will keep hanging around like a Klingon in Uranus. The technology world needs some serious cleansing... an enema, perhaps, followed by a bleach wipe.

In fact there is deliberately little or no expertise applied to patent acceptance in the US Patent Office, the IP system is now set up to use the legal system to decide who is right. Expensive, fraught with the dangers of having big players bully small players just from the sheer weight of their legal armies and resources. Irrespective of the actual IP facts. Though of course it keeps armies of lawyers employed. SOftware patents are particularly difficult, as there are "obvious" ways of doing something in the same way that there are obvious ways to drive a car around a 45 degree bend, given the same car mechanics and experience with driving around a 90 degree corner.

The patents which I love are the ones which implement known technologies and approaches and just insert the words "mobile phone" into something that has been done for 20+ years over wires.

Hey that's a nice Android based camera you have there. It be a shame if someone would sue you for patent infringement but we can make it go away if you sign this deal and pay us. Now we cant 'tell you what you're infringing on but trust us, you are. Oh and by the way you can't tell anyone what the patents are...

You don't get it. Get sued by Microsoft, and *win*, and you still lose. The financial position of Microsoft is beyond layman comprehension. It's sad we allow he who has the gold, to make the rules.

We, yes we, are responsible for this, and not just the corrupted system. Every time you go buy a computer, you put-up with Microsoft, as the only option, to get the price you want. As if the OS was really not a tax!

You Apple users are in the same boat, with Apple, who is likely owned, by Bill Gates. Does anyone really think, that Microsoft does not know how bad their products are? This is all about planned obsolescence.

Nikon, grow some. The IP extortion is a house of cards. You are going to lose it all.

We need to stand together; against Microsoft. If enough people wake up, large, threatened companies, and our representatives will (supposedly) act.Yet we will have to put down the corruption. However, their track record is post-dumb stupid. Tell them about it.

Guess what Nikon? If you're dealing with Microsoft, I'm no longer dealing with you. Why should I pay you cash, to turn around an give some of it to Microsoft? That is feeding the wolf. Starve the wolf; stop feeding it.

Juck, you're the clown. Linux is all over the place. If you own a PVR or a smart telly for example, you're probably running Linux. Microsoft is sweating because they can see that Google/Android is taking over. Google have already killed MS Office with Google Docs. Who in their right mind would pay for Office now?You should try a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu before displaying your ignorance.

Riiight Jack Valve with 5.16 million users logged in every day and the worlds most popular game distribution network have no idea what they are doing. They're just flat out wrong spending millions converting games to work with their Linux version and soon coming out with a Steam console which is powered by Linux.

The biggest problem is that 90% of users are naive enough to either pay for whatever is popular (be it MS Office, Lightroom or Photoshop) or use an unlicensed copy (piracy helps these guys remain de facto standards ... ).

Either way they're preventing open/free systems from ever becoming a threat to established companies like MS, Google, Apple and Valve.

*if* we stood together MS & co would have died ages ago.It didn't happen.It won't happen.It's not going to happen, because the majority is too naive and lazy to care.

@QuarterToDoom : the only reason Valve 'hates' Windows is because it would make their Steambox more expensive. I'd expect most users to downgrade to Windows after they notice how much more software they could be buy once they do ...

MS hire people and creates solutions and sells them. Some companies makes things open source, harvest from it and points finger at MS for charging. These same companies later produces commercial versions based on harvested works and charges for it.

Bill gates is doing mankind much better favour than fragmented 1000 linux's each wanting its own name . At least now he is fighting real viruses and ridding diseases while we sit down here and fight over which company is "do no evil"

A. If he was authentically charitable, no one wouldn't know about it. It's not like, this is his last penny. However, good was done; in his PR campaign, so the good, is good, and the posing, not so much.

B. You just don't get the GNU/Linux thing. There are many compilations of a built-up, and complete starter system. That better answers to specific needs. Such as, (1) new users needing a super easy install. (2) The likes of Microsoft, can not shut them all down!

C. I sorry if this peeves someone off; but an open distribution, such as Linux Mint (Set to Mate) doesn't exist solely to compare with Microsoft, and how it works, in the most minute detail. It's better than that. Ludicrous thought number (1), is when Windows breaks, people say COMPTERS SOCK. Yet (2), When "Linux"(a distro) breaks, people yell LINUX fail. As if, a state of the art distributions, like Linux Mint, are responsible for things like failing hardware (RAM, HD), that you tried it on and ILLEGAL MICROSOFT ROAD BLOCKS.

Oh, delightful. The cartel of huge software vendors that have ruthlessly exploited all the failure modes of the US legislative process by intense lobbying and campaign donations to basically turn the mobile market into a cozy little oligopoly are now leveraging their "software patent" dysfunction into other fields, as mobile features transcend phones.

I've read the article several times now and I'm still shaking my head as to what this is really about. It's Android. Linux based. An OS owned by Google. Why is Microsoft intellectual property licencing involved? Do they own the idea of an OS or something. The Redmond blurb seems to indicate that this mutually beneficial partnership is about making more services available, but the DPR copy makes it sound like Microsoft is suing all these companies pants off for stealing intellectual property. (Ok, maybe a little hyperbole there).

Microsoft isn't publicly disclosing which patents it thinks are being infringed, so it's impossible to know exactly what the issue at stake is. But, despite Android being Linux-based, many companies making Android products have eventually concluded that it's easier to license these patents from Microsoft than fight it in court. (Especially as an 'initial determination' suggested Microsoft had a case against Motorola)

Here's a quote from a 2012 Mashable article:"Microsoft holds many patents that relate directly to technologies used in the Android operating system and Chrome browser, and the company makes hundreds of millions of dollars every year from its licensing agreements with various manufacturers."

There are other recent articles I didn't quote from, with titles like "Did You Know Microsoft Makes Five Times More Money From Android than From Windows Phone?" and "World's most profitable Android company? Microsoft!?"

The patent deal is not Android-based (although the camera is), it is Android-related.This is not nitpicking. Your title makes it sound that somehow it is Android/Google's fault that companies are forced into such deals.Please fix it.

Does that mean that future Nikon's too will include in their circuits a backdoor (cf: http://tinyurl.com/32gogme ) that allows the Magic Lantern users (cf: http://tinyurl.com/28x228 ) to browse at their heart content your SD card ?